Brief

Cartoon Network had the licensing rights to a host of cartoon brands, many more famous than the Cartoon Network brand itself. Cartoon Network needed to be elevated as a brand in its own right whilst promoting new cartoons and claiming ownership of established cartoons.

There was a separate need to communicate with business partners as a cartoon brand without appearing childish.

Response

The approach created to deliver the brand put ‘the cartoons in control’. Communications simultaneously delivered the marketing message whilst revealing the character of the cartoon. The art direction took its cues from animation, with particular attention to cartoon details and a knowing sense of humour, all within a strongly branded Cartoon Network environment.

Communications were cleverly positioned for different audiences. Business messages had all the cartoon fun, but talked to adults. For instance, media packs for media buyers parodied the magazines for that target audience. Consumer messages strongly delivered the essence of the programme, through humour clearly coming from Cartoon Network.